EP0628888B1 - Blattpuffersystem - Google Patents

Blattpuffersystem Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0628888B1
EP0628888B1 EP94303450A EP94303450A EP0628888B1 EP 0628888 B1 EP0628888 B1 EP 0628888B1 EP 94303450 A EP94303450 A EP 94303450A EP 94303450 A EP94303450 A EP 94303450A EP 0628888 B1 EP0628888 B1 EP 0628888B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sheet
nip
downstream
sheets
path
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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EP94303450A
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP0628888A2 (de
EP0628888A3 (de
Inventor
Barry P. Mandel
Charles D. Rizzolo
Gerald A. Buddendeck
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Xerox Corp
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Xerox Corp
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/65—Apparatus which relate to the handling of copy material
    • G03G15/6538—Devices for collating sheet copy material, e.g. sorters, control, copies in staples form
    • G03G15/6541—Binding sets of sheets, e.g. by stapling, glueing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H29/00—Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles
    • B65H29/12—Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles by means of the nip between two, or between two sets of, moving tapes or bands or rollers
    • B65H29/14—Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles by means of the nip between two, or between two sets of, moving tapes or bands or rollers and introducing into a pile
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2215/00—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes
    • G03G2215/00362—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes relating to the copy medium handling
    • G03G2215/00789—Adding properties or qualities to the copy medium
    • G03G2215/00822—Binder, e.g. glueing device
    • G03G2215/00827—Stapler

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a sheet buffering system and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a sheet buffering system for use in electrostatographic or other reproducing machines.
  • On-line set compiling and finishing is very desirable for the pre-collated sets of output copies printed and outputted sequentially by many modern high speed copiers and printers, for stacking and stapling or other finishing.
  • the typical process of set collection of the printed output sheets (stacking with edge registration in a compiler tray or bin), and, especially, then stapling and ejecting that stapled set takes a finite time period.
  • the desired compiling and finishing time period for each collated set is often greater than the normal time period or pitch provided between the copy sheets, since the copy sheets are desirably being as rapidly sequentially printed and outputted by the copier or printer as possible. This has often necessitated a programmed "skipped pitch", or non-print cycle, in the print engine, for each set finished on-line, in many present reproduction systems. These non-print skipped pitches reduce overall productivity, especially for small job sets.
  • Maximizing time between incoming sheet job sets being compiled is critical to desirably providing increased available compiling and finishing time. That includes the various times required for any active edge registration feeding or jogging, active clinching, stapling, and set ejection from the compiler, and other such typical sequential functions in a compiler/stapler unit. If the finisher is an adhesive bookbinder or thermal edge binder tape type, even more finishing time may be required or desired than for normal stapling. Likewise, for a plural staple finisher, e.g., an edge stapler, or a center spline saddle stapler or stitcher, in which the set is stapled more than once with the same stapler.
  • a plural staple finisher e.g., an edge stapler, or a center spline saddle stapler or stitcher, in which the set is stapled more than once with the same stapler.
  • One object of the present invention is to provide an improved, low cost and simple system for avoiding inter-set printing delays with on-line job set compiling and/or finishing, by a system for delaying selected sheet feeding to the compiler, yet maintaining positive feeding control over the sheets.
  • the present invention provides a sheet buffering system as defined in any one of the appended claims.
  • the buffer system disclosed in an exemplary embodiment hereinbelow enables a first sheet about to be delivered to an output to be held (delayed) and overlapped with a second sheet [and likewise with subsequent sheets, if desired], and then to have all the buffered sheets delivered together (while maintaining an appropriately selected overlap) to a downstream compiling or other output device, if desired. This may be accomplished by temporarily stopping a downstream feeding nip with the desired sheet in the nip and buckling the trail edge of that sheet out of the paper path by the continued downstream feeding of that sheet by an adjacent upstream feeding nip.
  • the next sheet may then be fed up to this stalled downstream nip, at which time that stalled nip can be restarted, and both sheets fed by that nip, without slip.
  • This enables improved overall productivity (the printer does not have to skip a print pitch each time the output device compiles and staples a prior set, for example) in a compact design, at very low cost.
  • Sheet buckling per se , is, of course, known for other reproduction apparatus sheet feeding applications or functions, such as "Z-folders" (with delay).
  • Copier paper web buckling is also known, e.g., Xerox Corp. US-A-3,882,744.
  • cluster jam systems art includes Xerox Corporation pending European Patent Application No. 94 302 559.3. Further art includes Xerox Corporation US-A-4,231,567 to R. T. Ziehm; 4,786,041 to T. Acquaviva, et al; 4,627,711 to S. M. Schron; and Eastman Kodak Co. US-A-5,058,879.
  • FIG. 8 Another reported commercial pre-finishing delay system, by Eastman Kodak Co., in its EKTAPRINT 300 and possibly other copier products is schematically represented in Fig. 8 here, labeled “prior art.” As understood, it uses a large elastomeric cylindrical feed roller, and a hemi-cylindrical surrounding baffle, upstream of a sheet output gate. At least two sheets are overlapped while the first sheet is temporarily held by this gate, and then the two sheets are commonly ejected. However, in that system, there is reportedly an undesirable requirement to slide the second sheet under the first for a long distance within the confined arcuate baffle while the first is held stationary in the same thin arcuate space.
  • US-A-5,258,817 describes a system providing a long and "U" shaped shunt loop path, and for a different function; for original documents to be held in that path for copying a set of documents out of order.
  • Another type of system may exist in which all the output copy sheets are slowed down before their output in a shingling device or system which runs at a slower speed than the printer processing speed so as to cause the copy sheets to partially overlap or shingle upon one another.
  • this then would appear to require a more complex and difficult arrangement to separate, compile and stack the completed job sets, and make it even more difficult to obtain a sufficiently clear space in distance and time between the last sheet of one set to be compiled, stapled and ejected and the next sheet of the next set to be compiled.
  • Prior art copier or printer output sheet inverters are also variously shown in the above and various other patents. These normally operate by feeding one end of a sheet into an inverter chute from one (upstream) sheet path direction and feeding the other end of the sheet out of the inverter in the other (downstream) path direction, so as to turn the sheet over, end for end.
  • a specific embodiment disclosed herein is a sheet buffering system as defined in claim 1, for a reproduction apparatus feeding a sequential stream of printed copy sheets into a normal sheet path with a limited space and time therebetween.
  • compiler trays with joggers or other set registration systems and staplers or stitchers include Xerox Corporation US-A-4,417,801 and 4,541,626.
  • the compiler unit herein could alternatively be, for example, similar to that disclosed and described in US-A-5,288,062; or that of his issued US-A-5,098,074.
  • Other examples of compiler tray registration sheet feeder/joggers are in (and cited in) Xerox Corporation U.S. 5,120,047.
  • the compiler tray may be one of a plural array of compiler trays or bins.
  • compilers and finishers may be internal or external, such as in modular units operatively connecting with the reproduction apparatus, as disclosed in the above and other patents and products.
  • copy sheet is a set of related sheets, usually a collated copy set copied from a set of original document sheets or electronic page images from a particular user or otherwise related.
  • This system will work with N-1 or 1-N output page sequence printers or copiers, and/or faceup or facedown output for compiling, or any of these possible combinations.
  • N For “1 to N” output the two sheets acted on by this system would be sheets 1 and 2 of the next collated set.
  • N to 1 For “N to 1” output, the two sheets to be acted on for delay would be sheets N and N minus 1 of the next collated set.
  • the "first” and “second” sheets discussed herein can be either. The shingling of these two sheets will not affect proper registration in any of those modes, if adjusted as discussed above.
  • the sheet buffering system disclosed in these illustrated exemplary embodiments can overcome the above and other compiler printing delay problems in an otherwise desirably normal sheet output system by delaying the first (single) sheet following the last sheet of the previous job set to be compiled. This is done in these examples by stopping a downstream paper path nip for that sheet, with that sheet in the nip, but continuing the feeding of that same sheet by an upstream nip simultaneously engaging that sheet, to buckle the sheet into an intervening buckling system buckling the sheet off from the normal or main output path.
  • the subsequent, immediately following, (second) sheet is feeding out normally, passing this buckled sheet and going to the stalled downstream nip, which now restarts feeding forward (downstream) so that the first sheet is now shingled over (or under) the second sheet, and both overlapping sheets are now driven forward, but with one sheet lagging slightly behind the other in the output path.
  • Both sheets may thus be fed into the (now emptied) compiler tray by the normal operation of the output feeder to start the next set to be compiled and finished. Meanwhile, this operation has provided a substantial increase in the distance and time between these two sheets and the immediately prior last sheet of the previous compiled set.
  • this same basic buffering system can also be alternatively used to provide other buffering systems such as for duplexing or cluster jam systems, for several sheets, and is not limited to use with on-line compiling/finishing systems, although particularly suitable therefor.
  • a non-slip sheet feeder normally feeding copy sheets downstream to the compiler is selectably intermittently temporarily stopped holding the lead edge area of the first copy sheet for the next set to be finished so that continued feeding of the trail end of the same sheet by a relatively closely spaced upstream feeder buckles that sheet into a buckle chamber assisted by a buckle inducing arcuate baffle extending from the other side of the sheet path.
  • the next printed sheet is fed normally while the buckled first sheet is positively held out of its way.
  • the second sheet reaches the downstream feeder, it restarts to positively feed both sheets downstream to the compiler, together, but overlapped by a preset amount for registration stacking. A substantial increase is provided in the time for the preceding copy sheets to be operated on in the compiler.
  • the buffer system 11 for a printer 10 in all of these examples has a main sheet output path 12 defined by a downstream upper baffle 13a, an upstream upper baffle 13b, a downstream lower baffle 14a, an upstream lower (buckling) baffle 14b, a downstream feed nip 16 (or 15) at the downstream end, and an upstream feed nip 22.at the upstream end. There is less than one sheet dimension between these two feed nips 16 and 22.
  • a buckle chamber 30 starts just downstream of nip 22, and is shown between upper baffle 13b and 13a in this example. Alternatively, the buckle chamber 30 can be below the main path 12, as discussed herein.
  • the buckle chamber 30 provides a substantially opening away from the main sheet path 12 for a sheet buckle to form therein.
  • a "first” sheet 18 and "second” sheet 20 will be referenced.
  • the "first” sheet 18 is the sheet to be buffered.
  • sheet 18 is the sheet immediately following the immediately prior "last” sheet of the previously collated job set in compiler 90 tray 92.
  • the “second” sheet is the sheet not being buffered immediately following the "first” sheet (or sheets).
  • the sheets here are being printed and fed out in a normal, evenly spaced, sequence.
  • the operation for the "first” sheet 18 described herein can be repeated for as many subsequent sheets as are desired to be buffered.
  • the exemplary system here uses stalled feed rolls (known, per se , for other functions) to stall downstream nip 16, to stall the first sheet 18 and move its trail edge out of the paper path into buckle chamber 30.
  • This allows the second sheet 20 to feed in past the first sheet 18 in the main sheet path 12 defined by the baffles without sheet stubbing.
  • a sheet lead or trail edge switch or sensor 24 also detects the position of the second sheet 20 and restarts the stalled nip 16 feed rolls at the appropriate time to ensure a correct amount of sheet overlap [e.g., about 20mm].
  • the sheets are then fed together through the previously stalled nip 16, maintaining the overlap or shingling, and out to the compiling station (90 or 80).
  • the downstream nip 16 may be driven using a separately controlled motor, or it may be driven off the existing main drives and stopped using a clutch/brake 16a as shown schematically here.
  • the first sheet 18 is fed into and slightly through the downstream nip 16 by a pre-defined distance, e.g., about 20mm. [This distance controls the eventual sheet overlap that will result from the buffering operation.]
  • the sheet 18 is positively held in and by both the nips 16 and 22 at that point.
  • the downstream nip 16 is then stopped, but not in nip 22, and the sheet 18 begins to buckle, as shown in Fig. 4, with sheet buckling in the desired direction being induced by the opposing convex lower (buckling) baffle 14b.
  • the sheet 18 continues to feed from the upstream nip 22 and buckle into the buckle chamber 30, as shown in Fig. 5.
  • the buckled sheet 18 trailing end now springs up out of the upstream nip 22 as it feeds out of that nip 22, as in Fig. 5, and when it does it lies on top of the upstream upper baffle 13b, as shown in Fig. 6.
  • the trail edge of the first sheet 18 is thus now positively held out of the main paper path on baffle 13b.
  • the second sheet 20 is meanwhile now fed in by nip 22.
  • the second sheet 20 can feed in normally down normal sheet path 12. It can be easily and reliably fed past the now buckled-away first sheet 18, as shown in Fig. 7.
  • This procedure of (1) controlling the distance that the first sheet is driven into the nip, and (2) slightly buckling the second sheet as it is driven into the stalled nip (to ensure the location of it's lead edge is well controlled), and then (3) restarting the stalled nip to drive both sheets out, can also accurately control the intersheet shingling distance, without the need to accurately control the acceleration of the nip 16 as the nip 16 velocity is ramped up after being stalled. [In contrast, precise velocity and acceleration control is needed with dual path and reversing roll buffering systems.]
  • FIG. 9 shows that several feeder alternatives can be used for the upstream drive nip 22 to even better ensure that the trail edge of the first sheet 18 is so buckled positively and correctly.
  • conventional feed nips 22 with rollers 22a may be used, as shown, various configuration variations for the upper roll of the upstream feed nip 22 are possible to assist buckling.
  • foam rolls 22b are inter-positioned between the upstream nip 22 normal elastomer upper drive rolls 22a.
  • the foam rolls 22b have a slightly larger diameter than the regular drive rolls 22a (but nip with normal diameter lower idlers) and therefore tend to "catch" the trail edge of the sheet and ensure that it is driven around the normal rolls 22a completely, and lifted up to lie on overlapping baffle 13b, as shown there.
  • small paddle-blades on rolls 22c teethed rolls
  • These elastomer paddles or fingers have a slightly larger outer diameter than the upper drive rolls 22a and therefore "catch" the trail edge of the sheet as shown to ensure it is driven around the rolls 22c to baffle 13b.
  • a small toothed belt 23 is used to provide a continuous driving surface and ensure that the tail edge of the sheet is driven into its buffer position correctly, especially for longer sheets, by holding and controlling the release of the trail edge into the buckle chamber 30 longer.
  • the sheet is positively stripped off onto baffle 13b.
  • this system may be designed to readily change to buckle the sheets to either the top side or the bottom side of the paper path. This may be provided simply by a mirror image reversal of the positions of the upper and lower baffles, and thus, need not be separately illustrated here.
  • the print sequence may, however, change depending on which of the two is selected. For example, if the first sheet is buckled to the bottom side of the paper path, the sheets may be overlapped as described and fed out in normal page order. I.e., pages 1,2,3, ... etc. for a 1-to-N machine (with forward serial page order).
  • the first two sheets may be fed out in reverse order (i.e., pages 2,1,3,4,5... etc. for a 1-to-N machine).
  • This sheet buffering with reordering of the first 2 pages can be easily done on a digital copier or printer with no adverse affects on productivity or first-copy-out-time (FCOT).
  • FCOT productivity or first-copy-out-time
  • the first set can be printed and fed in normal page order. I.e. , 1,2,3,4,... etc..
  • the subsequent sets can be printed in said 2,1,3,4,5, etc. page order simply by electronically switching the printing order of the first two pages, which is easily done in a digital printer or copier.
  • compiling and stapling of prior copy sheet sets from a printer or copier 10 may be done without interrupting or delaying any subsequent copy sheet printing.
  • this generally planar sheet output path 12 may have as in Fig. 1 or Fig. 2, its downstream nip 15 at exit feed rolls at the downstream end, just prior to the compiler/stapler module or unit 90, or, as shown in the Figs. 3-7 and 9-11 examples illustrated herein, the downstream nip 16 is the entrance feed rollers in the compiler unit 90. Although exit rollers are shown, it will be appreciated that a feed belt or other sheet feeder could be utilized.
  • the distance in the sheet path 12 between the upstream and downstream feed rollers nips 22 and 16 or 15 here is approximately slightly less than the feeding dimension of the smallest conventional feeding sheet, e.g., less than 20 cm in an edgewise or long-edge-first print system. The amount of this nip spacing depends on the amount of positive buckling desired and the smallest sheet dimension to be buckled. But, in any case, there is no compromise with normal feeding.
  • An existing controller 100 of the printer or copier reproduction apparatus 10 may control all the operating steps indicated herein, as discussed above, and is conventionally connected to the sensor 24, and other conventional sheet edge detection sensors in the sheet path. Downstream said sensors also detect and signal sheet path jams to controller 100 to start the operation of baffle system 11 as a cluster jam recovery site for all unjammed upstream sheets, which may be fed to stalled nip 16 and clustered in buckle chamber 30, for common removal.
  • a compiled set discharge member 93 comprising a set ejector drive roller, may be in a disengaged up position, as shown, not in contact with any of the sheets in the compiling tray 92.
  • a an active registration assistance system here comprising a rotatably driven frictional flexible compiler registration jogger such as belt 95, causing the top sheet to be driven until it is fully registered against the wall 92a of the tray 92.
  • a compressible open or "floppy belt” jogger for compiler assistance is further disclosed in Canon US-A-4,883,265 (issued November 28, 1989 to N. lida, et al.); US-A-5,137,265, and EP 0 346 851. Each subsequent sheet is compiled on top of the prior sheets on tray 92 in this manner.
  • a conventional lateral registration tamper can also be provided, as in the cited or other art. That is, once each sheet is discharged and registered with the help of the rotation of the frictional floppy belts 95 against the topmost surface of the sheet in the compiling tray 92, a lateral tamper can engage to shift each sheet to a lateral registration edge of the tray 92. Because the floppy registration belts 95 are so flexible, and are held only at their top, they are easily deformed in the lateral direction. Alternatively, it is also known for an active top sheet registration system such as 95 (or 86) to be at an angle, feeding incoming top sheets towards a registration corner, for positive 2-axis registration with one sheet registration feeder.
  • stacking registration is assisted by another known type of rotatably driven active top compiler, here an elastomeric frictional fingers flapper/jogger 86, or the like It is also acting directly on the top sheet, and indirectly on underlying sheets by inter-sheet friction. That type of compiler assistance 86 could alternatively be used in the system 90 of Fig. 1.
  • a conventional powered stapler such as 91 may be actuated to fasten the set together.
  • the set discharging member 93 is brought down to form a set ejecting nip with mating idler rollers 94 (shown near the outer end of compiler tray 92), to eject that finished set into a conventional (but square stacking) elevator/stacker unit 96 to squarely stack that set on top of the previous finished sets, as shown in Fig. 1, or other stacker.
  • This could alternatively be a designated user's bin of a plural bin shared user printer "mailboxing" unit.
  • ejector rollers 93 are held closed against rollers 94 to feed the output sheets directly on through the compiler unit 90 to stacker 96.
  • the sheets may partially extend and hang out into an adjacent bin, or onto the top of the stack in stacker 96, saving overall compiler tray width. That is, the compiler tray 92 may be only a partial sheet supporting shelf for most sizes of sheets, as in the above-cited US-A-5,098,074 or Canon US-A-5,137,265; and/or Xerox Corporation US-A-5,201,517, by Denis Stemmle, issued April 13, 1993, entitled "Orbitting Nip Plural Mode Sheet Output With Faceup or Facedown Stacking". The latter is also an example of a compiler/stapler providing selectable faceup or facedown stacking with an integral inversion system.
  • the compiler is an "uphill stacking" type such as 90 of Fig. 1, in which the incoming sheets slide back downstream in the complier tray 92 to rear edge 92a register the previously trailing edges of the sheets, then it is preferable for the overlying sheet lead edge to lead slightly the underlying sheet of the sheet pair being ejected, for better registration as the active compiler 95 acts on the top sheet 20. If, however, as in Fig.
  • the compiler unit 80 with tray 82 is of the type which slopes downwardly away to provide "downhill" downstream stacking, in which the lead edges of the entering sheets register or align in the process direction against an outer registration edge (here a pivotal set ejection gate 84), then, in that type of system 80, preferably the top sheet lead edge slightly lags behind the bottom sheet of the incoming pair, for better active registration in that type of compiler. That is, insuring the positive compiler edge registration of the underlying sheet can be provided in "downhill” compiling (as in Fig. 2) if by the time both lead edges reach the final exit rollers 16, the underlying sheet lead edge slightly leads the overlapping sheet, instead of lagging, as shown for the system 90 of Fig. 1 for "uphill” compiling. In this way, in either type of compiler, the top-of-stack jogger acting on the topmost (second) sheet 20 as it comes into the compiler tray should also register the underlying first sheet 18.
  • the compiler registration edge is acting on what is the trailing edge of the ejecting sheets.
  • the registration edge is the leading edge of the ejecting sheets. Whichever is the registration edge of the underlying sheet should extend out from under the registration edge of the overlying sheet, so that even if the sheets are partially stuck together (as by static electricity), or relatively slippery, the underlying sheet will hit the registration edge first, to insure registration, since the overlying sheet registration is assured by the positive top registration drive 95 or 86 acting directly thereon. That is, in all cases, the underlying sheet should hit the registration edge wall before the top sheet.
  • the exiting underlying sheet lead edge should be slightly behind the overlying sheet lead edge, so that the underlying sheet trail edge at exit will extend beyond the overlying sheet trail edge, so that in the "uphill” compiler tray 92, the underlying sheet will register against wall 92a before the overlying sheet 20. (Of course, if there is an inverter or inversion path between this system and the compiler stacking, this desired sheet edge relationship will be reversed.)
  • Fig 8 "prior art" drawing illustrates a present understanding of a reported prior art Eastman Kodak copier system 101 for also delaying sheet output between precollated sets being finished.
  • the first sheet 102 is fed around a large diameter compliant driven roller 107, under a closely partially surrounding baffle 103, until that first sheet 102 is is stopped temporarily by a gate 104.
  • the next or second sheet 105 is fed in through that same path under the stationary first sheet 102 until it also reaches gate 104, etc..
  • gate 104 opens and all sheets 102, 105, etc. are fed on to a compiler (not shown) by the nip between that large roller 107 and another set of rollers 106.
  • this system 101 does not provide a direct or positive drive of the first sheet 102, (then separated from drive roller 107 by the second sheet 105) during initial ejection of the two sheets from gate 104, and depends on inter-sheet friction between these sheets to overcome the friction between sheet 102 and baffle 103, which is presumably substantially increased by the baffle 103 curvature for stiff sheets which resist bending to that curvature. It is also believed that this Kodak system is quite limited in the range of paper sizes it can handle.
  • the present system maintains positive, non-slip, feeder nip engagement of all sheets at all times. Furthermore, the present system does not at any time require two sheets to be simultaneously in the same path and nip while attempting to feed one sheet relative to the other, and then together, therein.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Separation, Sorting, Adjustment, Or Bending Of Sheets To Be Conveyed (AREA)
  • Paper Feeding For Electrophotography (AREA)
  • Collation Of Sheets And Webs (AREA)
  • Advancing Webs (AREA)

Claims (11)

  1. Blattpuffersystem zum Einziehen eines sequentiellen Stroms von zueinander beabstandeten Blättern entlang eines normalen Blattpfades, wobei das Blattpuffersystem umfaßt:
    einen in der Bewegungsrichtung weiter hinten angeordneten nicht gleitenden Blatteinzugswalzenspalt (15,16) zum normalen Vorwärtsbefördern von Blättern zu einer Blattausgabe in dem normalen Blattpfad,
    wobei der hintere Blatteinzugswalzenspalt (15,16) wahlweise intermittierend gestoppt zu werden, wenn sich eine Vorderkante eines ersten Blatts (18) in ihm befindet,
    eine Blattwölbungskammer (30) vor dem hinteren Blatteinzugswalzenspalt (15,16), die sich von dem normalen Blattpfad weg erstreckt,
    einen in der Bewegungsrichtung weiter vorne angeordneten nicht gleitenden Blatteinzugswalzenspalt (22), der relativ zu dem hinteren Walzenspalt (15,16) entlang des normalen Blattpfades mit dazwischen einem Abstand von weniger als einer Blattlänge positioniert ist, wobei der vordere Blatteinzugswalzenspalt (22) das erste Blatt (18) in dem vorderen Walzenspalt (22) einzieht, während sich die Vorderkante desselben Blatts in dem hinteren Walzenspalt (15,16) befindet, so daß die Hinterkante des ersten Blatts (18) in die Wölbungskammer (30) getrieben wird, wenn der hintere Blatteinzugswalzenspalt (15,16) intermittierend mit der sich darin befindenden Vorderkante gestoppt wird, und wobei der vordere Blatteinzugswalzenspalt (22) ein zweites Blatt (20) entlang des normalen Blattpfades an dem ersten Blatt (18) in der Wölbungskammer (30) vorbei zu dem hinteren Walzenspalt (15,16) führt, und
    Leitbleche (13a,14a,14b) in dem normalen Bklattpfad zwischen dem vorderen und dem hinteren Walzenspalt,
    wobei der hintere Walzenspalt (15,16) automatisch wieder gestartet wird, wenn das zweite Blatt durch den vorderen Walzenspalt (22) zu ihm befördert wird, wobei das erste Kopierblatt (18) in Übereinstimmung mit der Beförderung des zweiten Blattes (20) aus der Wölbungskammer (30) geführt wird und wobei beide Blätter (18,20) durch den hinteren Walzenspalt (15,16) eingezogen werden.
  2. Blattpuffersystem nach Anspruch 1, wobei der normale Blattpfad ein Blattausgabepfad einer Reproduktionsvorrichtung mit einer Sammel-/Fertigstellungseinrichtung (80) ist, in die Blätter über den Ausgabepfad und den hinteren Walzenspalt (15,16) geführt werden, um die Kopierblätter in der Sammel-/Fertigstellungseinrichtung (80) wiederholt sequentiell zu stapeln, so daß der Strom von Kopierblättern fertiggestellt und mit einer Kantenausrichtung online in mehreren sortierten fertiggestellten Sätzen gesammelt wird, während folgende Kopierblätter gedruckt und über den Ausgabepfad der Reproduktionsvorrichtung ausgegeben werden, wobei der hintere Walzenspalt (15,16) in Übereinstimmung mit dem Betrieb der Sammel-/Fertigstellungseinrichtung (80) intermittierend gestoppt und wieder gestartet wird, um das erste und das zweite Blatt zusammen vorwärts zu der Sammel-/Fertigstellungseinrichtung (80) zu befördern, wobei eine beträchtliche Verlängerung der Zeitspanne zwischen dem ersten Kopierblatt durch den hinteren Blatteinzugswalzenspalt ausgeführten Kopierblatt und den zuvor auf diese Weise in die Sammel-/Fertigstellungseinrichtung (80) geführten Kopierblättern erhalten wird.
  3. Blattpuffersystem nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, wobei der normale Blattpfad im wesentlichen planar ist und wobei das Hinterende des ersten Blattes im wesentlichen außerhalb des planaren normalen Blattpfades in der Wölbungskammer (30) gehalten wird, wenn ein folgendes Blatt durch den vorderen Walzenspalt (22) in dem normalen Blattpfad vorwärts befördert wird.
  4. Blattpuffersystem nach wenigstens einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, wobei das erste Blatt (18) das zweite Blatt (20) überlappt, wenn sie durch den hinteren Blatteinzugswalzenspalt (15,16) zu der Sammel-/Endbearbeitungseinrichtung (80) geführt werden, wobei die Kante des zweiten Blattes vorsteht, wenn das erste und das zweite Blatt in der Sammel-/Endbearbeitungseinrichtung (80) kantenausgerichtet wird.
  5. Blattpuffersystem nach wenigstens einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, wobei das erste Blatt (18) über dem zweiten Blatt (20) liegt, wenn sie durch den hinteren Blatteinzugswalzenspalt (15,16) befördert werden, wobei die Vorderkante des oberen ersten Blattes vor der Vorderkante des unteren zweiten Blattes vorsteht.
  6. Blattpuffersystem nach Anspruch 2, wobei die normale Druckreihenfolge des ersten und des zweiten Blattes umgekehrt wird.
  7. Blattpuffersystem nach wenigstens einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 6, wobei die Blätter durch den hinteren Blattwalzenspalt zu einem Sammelschacht mit einer Kantenausrichtung geführt werden, wobei das erste Blatt relativ zu dem zweiten Blatt für die Kantenausrichtung in dem Sammelschacht leicht geschindelt ist.
  8. Blattpuffersystem nach Anspruch 7, wobei die Hinterkante des durch den hinteren Walzenspalt in den Sammelschacht beförderten zweiten Blattes unter dem ersten Blatt liegt und der Hinterkante des ersten Blattes folgt.
  9. Blattpuffersystem nach wenigstens einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 8, wobei das Blattpuffersystem einen Stop- und Sammelpunkt für mehrere Blätter in der Wölbungskammer (30) vorsieht, um mehrere von in der Bewegungsrichtung weiter vorne dorthin beförderte Kopierblätter zu stoppen und zu sammeln, anstatt dieselben weiter entlang des normalen Blattpfades zu befördern.
  10. Blattpuffersystem für einen sequentiellen Strom von Blättern nach Anspruch 1, wobei sich die Blattwölbungskammer (30) entweder oberhalb oder unterhalb des normalen Blattpfades erstreckt.
  11. Blattpuffersystem nach wenigstens einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 10, wobei der vordere Einzugswalzenspalt (22) dafür ausgebildet ist, die Hinterkante des ersten Blattes (18) aufzugreifen und in die Wölbungskammer (30) zu treiben.
EP94303450A 1993-05-19 1994-05-13 Blattpuffersystem Expired - Lifetime EP0628888B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US08/065,099 US5289251A (en) 1993-05-19 1993-05-19 Trail edge buckling sheet buffering system
US65099 1993-05-19

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EP0628888A2 EP0628888A2 (de) 1994-12-14
EP0628888A3 EP0628888A3 (de) 1995-04-05
EP0628888B1 true EP0628888B1 (de) 1998-08-12

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EP (1) EP0628888B1 (de)
JP (1) JPH072397A (de)
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US5289251A (en) 1994-02-22
EP0628888A2 (de) 1994-12-14
DE69412367D1 (de) 1998-09-17
EP0628888A3 (de) 1995-04-05
DE69412367T2 (de) 1999-02-04
JPH072397A (ja) 1995-01-06

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